Oxford Street gay bar Stonewall Hotel has extended its lease of neighbouring venue Diva bar, ensuring long island iced teas will continue to be poured from the pink-coloured watering hole for at least another three years, seven months and 27 days.
Nightlife & venues
Explore Sydney’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ nightlife. Discover club and bar openings and acquisitions, venue closures, and detailed reviews like our take on Flash. We also cover major milestones such as ARQ’s farewell, plus event guides and insider tips for your next night out.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has confirmed its official all-night flagship party will return in 2026 – but the venue remains under wraps, with organisers yet to reveal where the festival’s biggest night will be staged.
News of a new Sydney club called Pink Pony initially gave lesbians like me hope for a venue where we could truly feel at home, writes Isabella Freeland (@bellabeenaa).
Sydney’s soon-to-launch gay bar Pink Pony has changed its Instagram handle to “new.name.coming” following online backlash that accused the venue of culturally appropriating a song by a lesbian artist about inclusivity while at the same time marketing itself primarily towards gay men.
Whether you’re after sunrise dance floors, underground queer raves, drag competitions, theatre, or a big gay harbour cruise, Sydney’s October long weekend has something for everyone.
The son of a publican who owns Sydney queer venues the Imperial Hotel, Universal Sydney and Oxford Hotel – who claimed on LinkedIn to be a “director” of the parent company that owns those pubs – has been charged after allegedly breaking into a woman’s home with two other men to steal her car keys and registration papers.
Flash, the gay Sydney dance party that seems to have beef with Gay Sydney News for reasons that are not fully understood, is moving from its original venue on Oxford Street to new digs at Kings Cross Hotel following a run-in with council over capacity issues.
Palms on Oxford has secured Showgirl Sundays, the long-running drag showcase formerly hosted at Stonewall Hotel, after a dispute over how it was named in the nomination list for Sydney’s annual drag industry awards and amid ongoing tensions over the lack of payment for guest performers.
Stonewall Hotel’s top floor will be turned into an upmarket, all-male nude strip club with a cover charge, as part of plans to revitalise the 27-year-old Oxford Street gay bar.
A new rainbow crossing near Taylor Square has been proposed by the City of Sydney, which will include the progress flag design.